McConnell: Not at 'shoot the hostage' point

1/6/13 9:27 AM EST

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell wouldn’t say on Sunday whether he was prepared to “shoot the hostage” and allow the country to default on its loans if Democrats balk at serious spending cuts in the next round of the fiscal fight.

Some high-profile Republicans have threatened opposing a debt-limit increase if Democrats don’t cave on deep spending cuts -- a move which would result in the nation defaulting on its loans and prompt a government shutdown.

Asked on ABC’s "This Week" by host George Stephanopoulos if he was prepared to “shoot the hostage,” McConnell demurred: “It’s not even necessary to get to that point. Why aren’t we trying to solve the problem? Why aren’t we trying to do something about reducing spending? … Waiting until the last minute is no way to run the government.”

With Congress agreeing last week to spare 99 percent of Americans from higher income taxes, McConnell said Washington must now confront its spending addiction.

“The tax issue is over, finished, completed,” he said during his pre-taped interview.” “Now the issue is: what are we going to do about the biggest problem confronting our country and our future, and that’s our spending addiction.

“The president surely knows that, he has mentioned it both publicly and privately. The time to confront it is now.”

“It’s not even necessary to get to that point. Why aren’t we trying to solve the problem?" he says.